


Buscot Park

by littlemisscurious



Category: Actor RPF, British Actor RPF, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Birthday, Blindness, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-04
Updated: 2013-06-04
Packaged: 2017-12-13 23:35:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/830140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemisscurious/pseuds/littlemisscurious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tom surprises his best friend on her birthday...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Buscot Park

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: As usual, I do now know Tom Hiddleston, nor have I ever met him and can judge what he is like. This piece derives entirely from my imagination and the OFC is mine. Any similarities to living persons is incidental. Feedback in whatever form is always very, very welcome :)  
> Enjoy

**Buscot Park**

_When something bad happens to you, something that changes your life forever, you have two choices._

_You can be angry, you can feel betrayed and cheated on by however was responsible for this. You can lock yourself up in your home, you can chase the ones you love and those that love you out of your life, make them angry, make them sad._

_Or you can be thankful that, despite everything that has happened, you are still alive. Maybe things have changed, maybe you have changed, and maybe there are some things you are not able to do anymore. But you are breathing. You are alive._

_I chose the latter._

_Maybe because I am one of the ‘lucky ones’._

_I might have lost my eyesight now but for the first 21 years of my life I was able to see. I know what a tree looks like and an orange and a chair. I have often looked into the blue eyes of my mum or made jokes about the greying hair of my dad._

_And I am simply in love with life._

***

“Where are we going?,” I mumble with a smile on my face while my best mate Tom leads me along a gravelled path. The little stones are crunching underneath our feet and I can smell freshly cut grass and the earthy, musky scent of his cologne.

It’s a warm day and I can feel the sun on my face and arms. I am glad I chose a flowing maxi dress this morning, made of a smooth, soft fabric, which reaches all the way down to my ankles.

Tom next to me chuckles lightly.  
“Don’t be so impatient. You’ll know soon enough,” he grins, his left hand still at the small of my back while the long, slender fingers of his right hand are intertwined with mine.

“You’re cruel,” I sigh theatrically before I have to grin myself. I know he’s got this huge, beaming smile on his face right now where you can see his white teeth and where he always closes his eyes a little.

 

I love his face when he laughs. The little crinkles next to his eyes and those at the top of his nose are so wonderful to touch because they are proof that it’s a real, full-on smile not just one of those ‘I smile because I have to’ smiles. They make him beautiful.

“I know but you still love me,” he whispers against my cheek, his minty breath heating up my skin even more than the sun already did, making me blush.

“Arrogant sod,” I reply and again he chuckles, the sound of it reminding me of a clear, bubbling mountain brook.

We walk on in silence while the world around us is pulsating with life. I can hear children laughing and water splashing. I can hear birds singing and people shouting with joy.

 

“Hmm, something smells good,” I smile after a while.  
“It does indeed.” His voice, smooth and velvety, sends goosebumps along my skin and its rumbling sound emanating from his chest reaches all the way down to his fingertips lingering on my back.

I turn towards him as we stop, my bare shoulder touching the crisp, soft fabric of his shirt smelling of washing powder.

I know that I am dependent on him and he knows it, too. I can’t see where we are or who else might be there. I can’t see whether there is a stone I could trip over or a pond I can fall into.  
I am blind and today he is my pair of eyes.

Normally it’s Leo, my Labrador and guide-dog but here and now my trust lies with Tom and Tom only.

His hand at the small of my back shifts a little and he places it gently on my waist, while the other still holds on to my right hand.

 

I can hear something or somebody shuffling next to us and I turn my face towards Tom, hoping he might tell me what’s going on.

“Don’t worry, that was just a squirrel,” he reassures me before he adds, “There are quite a few steps now, okay? But don’t worry, I’ve got you.” I nod with a smile and together we take another few steps forward, the soft squeeze of his hand informing me about the first step ahead.

It’s a slow descent but he is ever so patient with me. I am very grateful for that and I would never take this for granted. I know that it can be annoying to others when they have to wait for me, look after me, help me.

I can’t run down stairs or around the garden. I can’t stroll along unknown paths without a care in the world. I have to take things a little slower, with more care and precaution.

That’s why I have Leo.

And Tom.

“We’re not alone, right?,” I mumble as we reach the bottom of the stairs. I can hear people murmuring in the distance, their feet shuffling across the grass accompanied by the gentle splashing of water.

“No, we are not,” he confirms and again I can hear the smile in his voice.  
“But I’ll let everyone introduce themselves,” Tom adds and he gently leads me closer to the noise.

 

By the time everyone has said hello to me, tears are running down my cheeks. No tears of sadness, though, but tears of joy.  
All of my closest friends are here, my parents, my siblings, my cousins, aunts, and uncles, my fellow students and colleagues. Everybody I care about and I am so blessed that they care about me on this special day.

I laugh as I feel something wet touch my hand before I sink slowly down on my knees.  
“Hey Leo,” I mumble and let my hand run through his soft, silky fur. I can feel his heartbeat underneath my hand and his body heaving with every breath he takes while he buries his face in the crook of my neck.  
“Of course you wouldn’t miss the celebration, buddy!”

I ruffle through his fur again before Tom helps me back onto my feet, his hand taking its place on the small of my back again.

 

Smiling, I bite my lip as I can feel something warm and cosy around my shoulders. We have spent all day here at Buscot Park, eating and talking, and as the sun is slowly vanishing to visit the other side of the earth, it starts to be a bit chilly on this summer evening.

“Thank you,” I whisper and he simply presses his thin, soft lips to my temple in reply. Leo is sleeping on the blanket next to my legs, letting out huffs of air every now and then while he probably dreams of chasing a squirrel or a bird.

Soft jazz music is playing around us and even though I can’t see the beauty of my surroundings, I can feel and hear it. I can hear the laughter of my dearest friends, feel their hands brush my shoulders as they walk by.

 

“Would you dance with me?,” my best friend whispers into my ear, his goatee tickling my skin, as the first sounds of Ella Fitzgerald’s and Louis Armstrong’s Dream A Little Dream Of Me fill the air. I nod a little shyly and he helps me up before gently pulling me closer to himself.  
One arm is slung around my waist, his other hand intertwined with mine and pressed against his chest.

_Stars shining bright above you_  
 _Night breezes seem to whisper, "I love you"_  
 _Birds singing in the sycamore tree_  
 _Dream a little dream of me_

Happy, I close my eyes and listen to Tom quietly humming along. I relish the warmth that emanates from his body, which, combined with the gentle beating of his heart, and the soft vibrations caused by his vocal chords, makes me feel at ease. It makes me feel at home.

_Say nighty-night and kiss me_  
 _Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me_  
 _While I'm alone and blue as can be_  
 _Dream a little dream of me_

We both chuckle lightly, as we feel Leo prowling around our legs. My lovely, four-legged companion always makes sure that I am okay, sensing immediately when something is not quite right or I am not quite comfortable. This time he seems content though and I can hear him sighing heavily as he lies back down, unimpressed by the people lingering around him.

_Stars fading, but I linger on, dear_  
 _Still craving your kiss_  
 _I'm longing to linger till dawn, dear_  
 _Just saying this_

“Thank you for this wonderful evening, Tom. That is probably the best birthday I ever had,” I whisper, my cheek leaning against his, the soft stubble of his beard rubbing gently against my skin.  
“I am glad that you enjoyed it,” he replies just as quietly. “I would do everything for you, you know that.”  
Again I nod. He has been by my side ever since I can remember and he is one of the few who did not leave me when my life changed oh so drastically eleven years ago. I am a very lucky girl.

_Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you_  
 _Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you_  
 _But in your dreams, whatever they be_  
 _Dream a little dream of me_

I exhale slowly and quietly as the song comes to an end. I hoped it would go on forever so I don’t have to leave Tom’s arms but of course all good things come to an end.  
Still, I can feel his arm round me while his other hand lets go of mine carefully, coming to rest on my cheek, lifting my head ever so slightly.

His heartbeat under my hand is faster than just a few moments ago and I can feel his breath upon my lips. I would love to see his eyes right now. What colour would I see? A clear, crisp blue or a warm, soft green? Or maybe a mix of both?

 

Slowly, his thumb glides over the curve of my bottom lip, making my heart stop for a second before its thumping against my ribs again. Burying my fingers in the soft fabric of his shirt, I feel the urgent need to hold onto him, hold him close to me just in case my knees give way.

“Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?,” he whispers against my cheek and I close my eyes as I can feel tears pooling in them. “Because you are. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. And you are not only beautiful on the outside, but on the inside as well. I admire your strength and your compassion and your infinite love of life...”

“Tom, please...,” I am gently interrupted by his fingertip on my lips.  
“No, please let me finish,” he breathes and hesitates for a moment before he goes on.  
“You are my inspiration whenever I feel like giving up, whenever I doubt myself or my abilities. Whenever you’re around me, I feel better, I feel stronger and I just...I love you....I can’t believe it has taken me so many years to tell you this but I do. I love you..from the bottom of my heart.”

I can feel the first salty drop of water run down my cheek at his confession. Oh how often I have wished for him to say that, always too scared to confess my love to him. Scared that he might run away and leave me behind if I told him how I felt. But here he is, fulfilling all my hopes and dreams in the blink of an eye and it seems way too good to be true.

 

I open my lips in an attempt to reply to his words, which are like the whipped cream on top of this already fantastic birthday cake, but no words are coming out. Instead, I sniffle quietly before I bury my face in his shirt.

Soothingly, he strokes along my back while burying his other hand softly in my thick curly hair at the nape of my neck.  
“Sorry, I..I just didn’t think this day could get any better,” I mumble, embarrassed and still crying tears of joy and happiness.

 

Slowly, I raise a hand to his face and stroke gently along his temple to the corner of his eye, feeling the little wrinkles underneath my fingertips as he smiles widely, causing me to return this smile ever so gladly. I let my fingertips run further down, along his cheek, his nose, his jawline, his lips.

I want to ‘see’ every little inch of his face with my hands. I want to remember this moment forever, burn it into my mind until the day I leave this world.

I smile as he presses a soft kiss onto my fingertip, gently and lovingly, whispering another “I love you!” against the tender skin.

“I love you, too,” I breathe before his lips finally meet mine under the starry night sky at Buscot Park.

_What a wonderful birthday indeed!_

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to visit my tumblr page http://w-is-for-writing.tumblr.com to find out more about my stories, my characters, and everything else you might be interested in :)


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